Refrigerator car



Feb. 1l, 1941.

Filed May 25. 1939 3 4 w f U 9 J m n 4 y 3 7 z,V

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[n ven/orf 605ml/ P 70 buf/7 Patented Feb. 1l, 1941 `PATENT @FFME 2,231,097 y itsrarornsron CAR Gustav P. Torburn, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Standard Railway Refrigerator Company, a, corporation of Delaware Application May 25, l1939, Serial No. 275,626

, Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. The essential features of such a car are an insulated structure and a 5 refrigerating means for use in warm weather or a heating means for use in cold weather.

The invention relates particularly to refrigerator cars of the overhead bunker type. Cars of this. type have the refrigerant container suspended immediately below the roof. They are often provided with drip pans below the containers to form refrigerant compartments below the roof and adjacent the side walls of the car.

Itis also common to provide means associated with the side walls to form passages for the flow of refrigerated air from the refrigerant compartment to below the floor racks of the car so that it may circulate upwardly through the lading.

It is an object of the invention to form the vertical frame members of the car in tubular form so that they may be utilized for the circulation of refrigerated air from the refrigerant compartment to the lading compartment; It is a'further object of the invention to utilize said tubular 25, frame members as a means to dispose of melted or sublimed refrigerant.

. Another object of the invention is to provide means for discharging carbon dioxide inside the car or to the atmosphere, according to the pref- 3D erence of the operator. Gaseous carbon dioxide is formed by the sublimation of dry ice.

It is another object of the invention to provide means by which the refrigerant containers are supported partly by the roof and partly by the 352 aforementioned tubular frame members which also serve as conduits for ow of refrigerated air and melted or sublimed refrigerant.

v Another object of the invention is to use said tubular frame members as conduits for a `heating system. In cold weather, it is necessary during the transportation of some types of commodities, to provide heat to prevent freezing. Under certain other conditions, it is necessary to ventilate the cars. For example, a constant supply of fresh air must be supplied to certain commodities to carry away the heat of respiration and thus prevent undue heating and consequent ripening of fruits. It is a further object of this invention to use said tubular frame members to conduct 50. Ventilating air from the refrigerant containers to the space under the floor rack from where it may circulate upwardly to the lading compartment.

It is another object of the invention to facili- `tate repairs. ARemoval of the inner lining ex-A (Cl. (i2-17) posesv the tubular frame members and permits easy removal and replacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of very light weight. The dual-k use of the tubular frame members as load supporting members and as conduits for the circulation of air and melted or sublimed refrigerant reduces the required number of parts and consequently the Weight of the car.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the drawing which shows the cross section of a refrigerator car embodying my invention.

The frame members of the car shown comprise the metallic tubular member 2 having a horizontal portion 3 and upstanding vertical portions 4. The horizontal portion 3 of the member 2 is associated with other parts of the car, such as, center sill 1, outer side sills lower floor` stringers 9, sub-floor I0, llers II, inner side sills I2, insulation I3 and decking or floor M. The floor rack I'I preferably comprises a plurality of spaced apart slats I8 supported above the floor I l to provide the space I9, thus providing a foraminous member spaced above the door of the car.

The vertical portions 4 of the member 2 are preferably formed integral with or secured rigidly tothe horizontal portion 3 and, being tubular, communicates therewith. The vertical portions 4 arev also rigidly secured to the inner side sills I2, lower belt rails 24, upper belt rails and the longitudinal frame members 2t. The walls comprise the vertical frame members 4l, sheathing 3l), insulation 3I, lining 32 and side plates 33.

The roof 38 is secured at the eaves to the side plates 33 and has mounted at the ridge a running board 39. The roof 33 is provided with hatches 40 and hatch frames LlI surround the hatches d with flanges l2 of the framesoverlapping upturned flanges 43 of the roof 38. Refrigerant containers 45 are provided below the roof 3B and adjacent the Vertical portions 4 of the tubular members 2. The containers l5 are secured to the hatch frames Il! by the rivets 36 and insulated therefrom by the insulating members 4l. The upper ends of the vertical portions 4 of the tubular members 2 communicate with the tanks so that air, liquid or gas, may be drained therefrom. Screens 48 are provided to prevent entrance of solid into the members 2. A ceiling 52 is provided preferably integral with the lining 32 and cooperates with the roof 38 and tubular members 2 to support the containers 45. A tubular brace 55 extends between the adjacent containers i5 and provides communication therebetween. A conduit 55 depending from the brace 55 and communicating therewith provides means by which the circulating air may return from the lading compartment l to the refrigerant containers 45.

A depending conduit or drain 65 communicates with the horizontal portion 3 and projects below the floor of the car. A valve 65 is provided in the conduit 65 which valve may be opened to permit the discharge of melted or sublimed refrigerant. i

A trap 6l is provided to preventI flow of warm air into the car. In transporting certain types of commodities, it is beneficial to have the atmos-l phere within the car laden with carbon dioxide gas. When dry ice is used as the refrigerant and it is desired to obtain this condition, the valve 66 is closed.

The horizontal portion or drain 3 has aper.

tures lil distributed throughout its length providing communication between the conduit 3 and the space I9 and the lading compartment 51. Air which is cooled by the refrigerant in the container At5 falls by gravity through the vertical portions l into the horizontal portions or conduits'S. Then it escapes through the apertures l@ and is distributed throughout the space I9 and thence through the spaces between the slats I8 to the lading compartment 51. Then the air ows through the conduit 55 and brace 55 to the refrigerant containers where it is cooled again for return to the lading compartment.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of the invention, thoughit is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the sco-pe of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls and a roof extending therebetween, a refrigerant container below said roof and adjacent each wall, a substantially U shaped tubular member having a horizontal portion associated with the floor of said car and a vertical portion associated with each of said walls, each vertical portion communicating at the upper end thereof with one of said containers and Said horizontal portion communicating with the lading compartment to form a path for refrigerated air from said containers to the lading compartment, a tubular brace extending between said containers and communicating therewith, said brace having communication with the lading compartment for return of air therefrom to said containers, said member arranged to function as a frame member of said walls and oor.

2. In a refrigerator car body comprising spaced apart walls; a roof; a floor; refrigerant container subjacent said roof; a flue associated with each of said walls, said flues having their upper ends communicating with said container, a horizontal conduit extending between and communicating with said flues, said conduit having apertures therein distributed throughout its length communicating with the lading space above the floor of the car, a drain for said conduit, and means to open or close said drain, whereby cold air from said containers flows through said ues to said conduit and is distributed by said conduit throughout said lading space and whereby melted ice from said container flows through said flues to said conduit and may be temporarily retained therein to cool and humidify said air.

3. In a refrigerator car body comprising spaced apart walls; a roof; a floor; refrigerant container subjacent said roof; a iiue associated with each of said walls, said I'lues having their upper ends communicating with said container, a horizontal conduit below the upper surface of the floor of the car and extending between and communicating with said iiues, said conduit having apertures therein distributed throughout its length communicating with the lading space above the floor of the car, a drain for said conduit, and means to open or close said drain, whereby cold air from said containers fiows through said flues to said conduit and is distributed by said conduit throughout said lading space and whereby melted ice from said container flows through said ues to said conduit and may be temporarily retained therein to cool and humidify said air.

4. In a refrigerator car body comprising spaced apart walls; a roof; a floor; refrigerant container subjacent said roof; a flue associated with each of said walls, said iiues having their upper ends communicating with said container, a horizontal conduit extending between and communicating with said fiues, said conduit having apertures therein distributed throughout its length communicating with the lading space above the iioor of the car, whereby cold air from said containers flows through said lues to said conduit and may be distributed by said conduit throughout said lading space.

5. In a refrigerator car body comprising spaced apart walls; a roof; a floor; refrigerant container subjacent said roof; a flue associated with each of said walls, said flues having their upper ends communioatingwith said container, a horizontal conduit below the upper surface of the floor of the car and extending between and communicating with said flues, said conduit having apertures therein distributed throughout its length communicating with the lading space above the oor of the car, whereby cold air from said containers flows through said ues to said conduit and may be distributed by said conduit throughout said lading space, and a foraminous member spaced above saidl upper surface of the floor of the car.

6. A structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the said flues are formed of metal and rigidly secured to the longitudinal frame members of the car to form a wall framing.

7. A structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the said flues and said conduit are formed of metal and rigidly secured to the longitudinal frame members of the car to form the body framing.

8. In a refrigerator car body having spaced apart sills; an insulated floor extending therebetween, a plurality of substantially horizontal metallic conduits extending between said sills and secured thereto to cooperate therewith to form the framing for said insulated floor, said conduits each provided with a plurality of apertures communicating with the lading compartment of the car body above said floor, and means to induce a circulation of cooled air through said conduits which is distributed by said apertures throughout the lading compartment.

9..In a refrigerator car body having spaced apart sills; an insulated floor extending therebetween, a plurality of substantially horizontal metallic conduits extending between said sills and secured thereto to cooperate therewith to form the framing for said insulated floor, said conduits each provided with a plurality of apertures communicating with the lading compartment ofv the car body above said Hoor, means to induce a extending between said walls, a Vertical ue associated with leach of said walls with their upper ends communicating with said containers and their lower ends communicating with the lading compartment of the car, a substantially horizontal conduit forming air communication between said containers Which also forms a brace therebetween, and a depending conduit providing air communication between the horizontal conduit and the lading compartment of the car. 10

GUSTAV P. TORBU'RN. 

